The Dryad Nadia
by AshLandWriter
Summary: The backstory to the health store owner mentioned in Isle Problems 2: In the Family, you will meet the Dryad Nadia, and this is how hope dies.
1. The New Girl

**The New Girl **

**(Morning)**

She is beautifully untamed. Her long, frizzy light brown hair reaches the bottom of her back, and even though she has such a small frame, she's still tall enough to place the items on the shelf without standing on her toes. "You know, you could ask her out." He's startled by his father's sudden appearance, before he swiftly turns to the muscular man and breathes in relief. "So, what will it be?"

He crosses his arms and leans them on the counter, "What will what be?"

"Will you ask her out?"

The brown-haired guy looks back at her, gazing over her red tank top and shorts, as he mumbles, "Am I even allowed to?"

"You don't own the store," he informs. "I do. You're on equal ground with her."

He turns back to him, "So, I could if I wanted to?"

"You're not in a position of power, so there's no conflict of interest." His eyebrows raise, "I see no reason why you couldn't." His son looks back at the new girl, watching as she rolls the top-stock cart into the back room. "Well. What are you waiting for? Go get her."

He smiles at him before hurrying off, but when he enters the back room, he halts. He gulps, watching her take the remnants from the cart and separating them into the recycling bins. She pushes the cart to the side wall, and when her clear blue eyes meet him, she smiles. He grins, and she walks over to the sink. He walks towards her, "Um." She twists the water off and turns to him. He nervously asks, "So, how is it going?"

"Going?" her head tilts, moving forward with wide eyes.

He laughs, "Eh. How is your day so far?"

She grins, "Fine. Thank you."

"Oh," he suddenly frowns in realization. "I'm Noah." He smiles again, before he puts a hand out towards her.

She glances at his hand and moves hers forward, "I'm Nadia."

His smile cracks, before he takes her hand and shakes it, "Nadia. That's Russian for hope, isn't it?"

She's quiet for a moment, "I'm not sure, but I like it."

"I like your accent," he compliments, and she grins. "Where are you from?"

She unsurely answers, "The outskirts of Charmington and Sleeping City."

"I would have thought somewhere farther," he lets her know. "Like the north mountains."

"It is a secluded area," she slowly explains. "No one really leaves there. I learned language there. That is why I sound different."

He nods, "Well, for what it's worth, I think you have a beautiful voice." before he notices he's still holding her hand and quickly moves it away, running it over his hair. "So. Uh."

"Uh," she repeats.

He meets her bright eyes and slowly says, "I was wondering if you eat."

"I'm about to eat now," she informs, before she walks over to the table.

He follows her and watches as she puts two scoops of protein powder into the blender bottle, "What I meant was—" before the sound of the metal hitting the plastic interrupts him, as she shakes the blue bottle. She sets the bottle down, "What I meant was—" and he notices her take out baggie of brown, grainy flakes. "What's that?"

"Nutrients," she simply says, before she pours it into the drink, covers it, and shakes it.

"Right," he shakes his head, before he clears his throat. "Anyway." She faces him, and he whispers, "Could you eat with me sometime?"

"Why?"

He watches her take a drink, before he slowly answers, "I'm trying to ask you out, like on a date. Do you want to?"

Her blue eyes scan over him, before she places a hand to his chest, "I cannot give you what you want."

He places his hand over hers, "I want you."

"You want stability," she disproves.

He lets out a breath, "I just want to get to know you."

"Get to know me," she tests the words, the way they feel and sound.

"Yes," he breathes. "Will you let me?"

The girl smiles, "Very well." before she eyes over him. "You eat at my place tonight?"

"Yes," Noah quickly agrees, before he frowns. "Where would that be?"

* * *

"Oatmeal for dinner," Noah comments, as he watches her set the bowls down in front of them. "That's…"

"Do you not like oats?" she inquires.

"Oh, no," he quickly responds. "I mean, yes. I do, but…"

"But?" she laughs.

He smiles, "It's just traditionally a breakfast food."

"Traditionally?" she questions.

He breathes, "Of course. It doesn't have to be only for breakfast."

She sprinkles some brown flakes over the oats, "What do you eat at dinner?"

"Well, you know," he begins. "What most people eat, I guess. Meat. Potatoes. Corn."

"I don't eat meat," she informs.

"Oh," he quietly says, before he watches her take a bite and then notices the spice shaker she had used.

When he reaches for it, she slides it closer to herself, "That is not for you."

He eyes the brown flakes, "What is it?"

"What I had earlier," she merely states, before she sips her water.

"The nutrients," he slowly recalls.

"Yes."

He frowns, "You know, the protein powder has nutrients in it."

She smiles, touching the shaker, "This gives flavor."

"What is it?" he asks again.

"Maple."

He watches her take another bite, "Maple?"

"Yes," she confirms, before she points the spoon at his bowl. "Now, eat."

He looks down at the off-white glop, "What's in this?"

"Oats, water, and honey," she lists.

Noah spoons through the glop, "And nuts."

"Yes. Macadamia Nuts."

He takes a bite and then nods, "It's good." before he eyes the shaker again. "Can I have some maple?"

She grins, and her blue eyes shimmer, "You do not want it."

He makes a face, "Of course, I want it."

"No." She shakes her head, "You don't."

Noah sighs, "Will you at least tell me what it is?"

"But I told you," she comments in confusion.

"Yes, maple," he frustrates, before he lets out a breath. "Maple what? And what is it?"

Nadia takes a napkin to her lips before folding it, "It is maple leaves."

"Maple leaves?" he slowly repeats.

"It is my favorite," she informs.

"How?" his eyebrows scrunch. "I mean, doesn't it just taste like dirt?"

"Noah," she looks down for a moment, before she takes his hand and meets his eyes. "If we are to continue this, perhaps there is something you should know."

He glances from the hand to her, nervous, "And what's that?"

"Noah," she breathes, hesitant. "I am a dryad."

He lets go of her hand and shakes his head, "What the hell is a dryad?"

She frowns, "You think I am going to Hell?"

It takes him a moment, "No." as his eyes shift. "It's just a saying."

"Oh," Nadia thinks before smiling a nod. "Hell to you too."

He squints, slowly questioning, "Where did you say you came from again?"

"The Enchanted Forest."

"Between Charmington and the Sleeping City," Noah recalls. He thinks, "And what exactly is a dryad?"

Nadia takes his hand and grins, "I will tell you."

* * *

\- **Posted**: 04/06/2019 (American Standard)


	2. Let Her Try

**Let Her Try**

"A lot of boxes today," Noah comments, as he starts to transfer them from the L-cart to the top-stock cart. "Hey, Sephtis. How many of these do you think will have one of those tiny oil bottles inside?"

"I don't know," the black-haired guy laughs, "but the boxes seemed really light."

He places another stack onto the cart before cutting open a light box, "Yep." Noah turns it to show the shipper, and the guy chuckles at the several square slots containing one essential oil throughout. "They just have to be so careful, you know?"

"Yeah," he smiles before continuing to gather the boxes. "So, how are you doing?"

"Good, I guess." He smirks, "I have enough PTO saved to get a vacation. I'm thinking I might take next week off."

Noah nods, "Good."

"What about you?"

"We got this new hire." He pauses, "She's, uh, well… pretty good looking, you know?"

"You going to hit that?" he questions.

"Hit?" Noah unsurely responds. "Uh… I'd like to actually get to know her first. We had our first date last night."

"Well, how'd it go?"

He places the last box on the cart, before he meets his blue eyes, "Well, she's a vegetarian, likes to read a lot, and…"

"And?" he prompts.

"And nothing," he dismisses. "That's about it."

"Really?" he inquires. "Because you have that same look as when you get a weird order in. Come on. What's wrong with her? Tell me."

"It's nothing wrong," he slowly states.

"But?"

"But she's a dryad," he breathes. "Whatever that is."

"A dryad?" his eyebrows furrow. "So, she's a hybrid?"

"Is that the term?" Noah asks.

"And you didn't know that when you hired her?" he judges.

"I mean, my father did the hiring," Noah explains, "and people aren't required to disclose their status on a job application."

"Bullshit," Sephtis furies. "You're a family ran business. You have every right to know who's working for you."

"Hey." Noah reminds him, "Just because someone isn't human, doesn't mean they're any less of a hard worker."

"Are you kidding me?" he spouts. "Forget about their work ethic. These people are dangerous. You don't know what she's capable of."

"She's been nothing but good to us," he frowns. "She's so attentive, a fast learner, and she wants to do better every day."

"And you don't think she's dangerous?" he doubts. "She's trying to learn about you and your family— your business— and you don't think she's going to play you?"

"I trust her."

"She went out with you," his voice raises. "Don't you think that's suspicious?"

"I asked her out," he sternly defends.

"Did she even grow up here?" he bypasses.

"No, but—"

"See," he asserts. "She doesn't even know our customs. She doesn't have our morals— our values. How could you trust someone like that?"

"She's still a person," he stares him down. "It doesn't matter that she wasn't born here."

"Do you even know where she's from?" he disputes.

"The Enchanted Forest," he immediately answers.

"You mean, the place people go and never leave?" Sephtis counters, and Noah's expression falters. "You know what goes on there. It has trees that eat animals. It's where the man killer Artemis lives. Only the most dangerous creatures could ever survive there."

"You need to read up on your Greek gods." Noah informs, "Artemis is afraid of betrayal. She only hunts men who stare at her."

"She walks around the forest naked," he spouts. "If she didn't want the attention, she should be wearing something."

"So, it's her fault?" his eyes widen.

"Yes," he steps forward. "It's her fault men go after her. She's just another one of those sluts who tease men and then cry rape the second they're even touched." Noah looks away. "What? You have something to say?"

He faces him, "I think Artemis deserves respect for the goddess she is. All women do. It shouldn't matter what they decide to wear. When you walk in on someone naked, you don't stare at them. You keep your eyes down."

"And when they're in public, doing it on purpose?" he challenges.

"It still doesn't matter," Noah sternly remarks, before he eyes over him. "Don't you have another store to get to?"

"That girl's going to kill you," he warns.

"Let her try," Noah dismisses, before the guy shakes his head and hauls the L-cart away.

* * *

In the sun, her skin has a healthy glow, and she smiles up at it as she breathes in the fresh air. Noah opens the glass door and steps forward, "Nice day, isn't it?"

"It is," she smiles, sitting on the concrete stairs. "It's always nice to feel the sun." He doesn't respond, and she frowns at him, "Do you not agree?"

"No. I agree," he reassures, before she smiles again and faces forward. He sits next to her, "Is this where you go every day?"

"Not every day." She corrects, "Only the days I am here."

"Right." He pauses, "I just meant, you like the sun a lot."

"It is warm and vibrant," she slowly speaks. "Can you feel it?"

"Um," he thinks. "It is warm today."

She hums, "No." before she meets his brown eyes. "The sun. Do you feel the sun?"

Noah hesitates, "I'm not really sure what you mean."

"Can I show you?" she asks.

"Um." He nods, "Yeah. Okay."

Her smile widens, "You see, the sun touches the skin." before she places her fingertips onto his arm and slowly moves them down. "The rays run over you."

"It tickles," he half laughs.

"It can." She removes the sky-blue sweater from her waist and places it onto his shoulders, zipping up the front. "It can also hug."

"What else can the sun do?"

Nadia grins, "Well." before she pecks his lips and giggles. "It can tease you." She shifts behind him, "Hide behind the clouds." and wraps her arms over him. "Then take you in and take hold." She lets go, her voice saddening some, "Finally, it leaves you, and you are all alone."

"The sun comes back, though," he reminds her.

She places a hand on his shoulder, "Not always in time."

He turns to her, "What do you mean?"

"The sun is important." She thinks, "It makes life. Without it, we would die. Forever."

"The sun's not going to leave any time soon," he smiles.

Nadia nods once, "You are right. It does not leave." before she pauses. "If it left, that may be better. There would be certainty, but no. It does not leave. It abandons, and it does so every night." She meets his eyes, "The sun chooses who shall live and who will die."

He hesitates, "The sun doesn't choose to leave. It doesn't have a choice."

"And yet," she affirms, "so many lives are lost once it does."

Noah frowns, "I'm sure plenty of people survive."

"And that makes it okay that others do not?" she inquires.

"No," he lets out a breath. "Of course, not."

"The sun gives us life," Nadia repeats. "We are not safe in the dark."

"I guess you're right about that," he agrees.

She smiles, "So, you understand?"

"Yeah," Noah nods. "I think so."

Nadia hugs him, "And my sisters told me not to trust you."

"Your sisters?" he surprises.

She laughs it off, "They are very weary of humans." before she finds his hand and holds it. "It is best they do not know this."

"Why not?"

"They," she slowly states, "think humans are bad, do bad things." Nadia eyes down, "There has not been a human who came to our home who did not hurt us."

He folds his other hand over hers, "I would never hurt you."

"I know." She looks back up, and he sees her blue eyes gleam with tears, "But to them, you are just another. They would hate you."

"It's fine," he understands. "They don't need to know."

She partly smiles, "Thank you, Noah."

After she places her head onto his shoulder, he hesitates, "There is something you should know." She moves to see him, and he shakes his head, "I think I did something really stupid."

"Something stupid?"

His breathing becomes uneasy, "There is someone I talk to, and I thought I knew him. I thought it would be nothing, but…"

"But?" she prompts.

Noah gulps, "He asked me how I was, and I told him about my girlfriend. I told him about you, and… how you're a dryad and…"

"He did not like me," she finishes.

The tears leave his eyes, "I'm so sorry."

Nadia eyes over him, "It is alright, Noah." before she places a hand to his cheek and swipes a tear away with her thumb. "It is nothing I have not gone through before."

He huffs, "You're sure?"

She tenses a smile, "Of course."

* * *

\- **Posted**: 05/16/2019


	3. Privilege

**Privilege**

"So, what's the Enchanted Forest like?" Noah asks.

"Is it calm," Nadia thinks, before she takes a bite of salad. "It is home." She faces him, "When you are there, you are a part of it. You belong."

He hesitates, "A lot of humans think it's dangerous… They don't belong there."

Nadia nods, "Yes. Humans don't have the same sense of energy as us. Humans see themselves as better than nature, so they do not feel nature." She takes a sip of her iced tea, "When a human like that enters the Forest, the Forest defends itself from them."

"And a human not like that?" he inquires.

She partly smiles, "They are safe there." before she takes his hand. "I feel you are good, Noah. The Forest would know it too."

"I'm glad to hear that," he smiles in return, before she returns to her meal and he takes a drink of milk. "What else about the Forest? Do the trees really move?"

"Only some trees," she laughs. "Not all people breathe water, do they?"

"No," he chuckles. "That's just the, uh, water hybrids." He eyes over her, "Is that what you are, a hybrid?"

She hesitates, "I am not sure."

"What do you mean, you're not sure?" his brows furrow. "It would be stated in your hospital documents."

"Noah," Nadia unsurely explains, "I have not been to hospital. The government does not even know I exist."

"Wait." He faces her, "You're not even a citizen here?"

"No, Noah. I am not."

He shakes his head, "I don't get it. How can you…"

She watches him take a deep breath and frowns, "I could not trust that they would believe I am who I say. There are stories, Noah. Horrible stories about kin who are held, held without their needs met." She whispers, "Until they die. I had no choice."

He hesitates, "But still. How is it even possible? You have an apartment. That requires paperwork and bank records and—"

"And sometimes," Nadia interrupts, "all you need is cash and barter." She eyes down and mutters, "My landlord is a real vampire." before she faces him. "I do what I have to."

"Your landlord is taking advantage of you," he realizes.

"How do you mean?"

"You are here illegally," Noah explains. "Your landlord knows, and he's taking advantage of that."

She takes a moment, "Yes. You are right. He is."

He halfheartedly laughs, "How can you be so calm about that?"

"People use situations to their advantage, Noah," she meets his brown eyes. "Tell me you would not do the same."

"I would never tell anyone that they have to pay with their body," he insists. "No one deserves to be threatened like that."

Nadia thinks, "Well, you do not know his situation, and you are not as desperate as we." as she frowns. "I understand why someone so privileged would see things as you do."

"This isn't about privilege," Noah denies. "Tell me, does it make you uncomfortable?"

"I don't see how that is relevant," she stares at him. "It is an agreement. That is all."

He shakes his head, "I don't like this."

"Noah," she reaches for his hand. "It is okay. He is not ruff with me. We are safe."

"Safe," Noah eyes down and notices the yellow circle. "Did he do that?"

Nadia sighs, "There are worse things than bruises, Noah. I am incredibly grateful for the needle. I am so lucky he is as kind as he is."

He meets her clear, blue eyes, "The needle?"

"We use the kit," she mentions. "It makes it so no scars are seen."

Noah pulls away from her, "Did you know that what he's doing is illegal? Donors need to legally consent in writing. You have every right to turn him in."

"But then what would happen to me?" she reminds him.

"Marry me," he immediately answers.

"But Noah," she laughs, "it is too soon."

"You could skip the entire process," he informs. "If you marry me, you would be legally recognized as a citizen and would have every right to the documents. You wouldn't need to do this kind of thing anymore."

"Noah," she sighs. "This is too much."

"If you do it," he asserts, "you would be a citizen. You would have nothing to lose when you turn him in."

"When I turn him in?" she disbelieves.

"Nadia. You have to think about the other girls he's probably done this to."

"But I do." She hastily explains, "Me leaving would not make it any better."

"If you turn him in—"

"He is a desperate man," Nadia interrupts. "A vampire cannot survive prison. He would run before ever dying, and then no one would be safe."

He lets out a breath, "Nadia. I just want to help."

"But you are." She smiles, "Just by being here, you help." before she turns her head down and starts to cough.

"Nadia?" He hesitates, "Are you okay?"

She puts up a hand as she sips the tea, "Yes, Noah. I am fine. Just dry throat, been happening all day."

"Are you getting sick?" he inquires.

"I do not get sick, Noah," Nadia grins at him. "Trust me. It is only the weather, and it will pass when it does."


	4. Short-Sighted

**Short-Sighted**

"King Ben," Noah grins from behind the counter. "Nice to see you again."

"How many times do I need to tell you," he walks up to him. "It's just Ben here."

"Of course," he nods down. "What can I help you with today?"

Ben wets his lips, "I am having memory problems. I think I remember there being something for that."

He nods, before he points to the side wall, "They're going to be over there."

Ben walks over before scanning through them, "You like any of these?"

Noah shakes his head, "I don't know a lot about those, actually. Sorry."

He compares a couple, sighing, before he pulls out his phone, muttering in French, "Stupid English."

"Need help?" Noah switches over.

Ben eyes him, "You know French?"

He shrugs, "Enough."

Ben hesitates, "Can you, uh… read these to me?"

Noah frowns, "Sure." before he walks over to him. Ben hands over the two cases, and he meets his hazel green eyes. "First off. I can tell you without even looking at the box that it's going to tell you it's not meant to treat any serious condition."

Ben's mouth opens, before he says, "Yeah. I know."

Noah glances down at the boxes, "These ones are about improving energy and focus."

He shakes his head, "No. I just need something to help me remember."

Noah puts the boxes down and scans the shelves, before he takes another, "This one says it improves stress, mood, and memory."

"Great." Ben mumbles, "Maybe it will help with my sleep problems too."

"Oh, wait." He takes a closer look, "It also says it for women going through menopause."

Ben looks off in annoyance, "Of course, it does."

"Sorry. I didn't see that." Noah puts it back on the shelf, "Maybe you could tell me what this is for again?"

Ben takes a moment, "I, uh. I'm still having problems with English, obviously."

"And you said that was from your concussion, right?"

He gives him a look, "When did I tell you that?"

"You said it in your interview," his eyes widen.

"Oh, right." Ben places a hand to his head, shutting his eyes, "It's official. I am losing my mind." He drops his arm and shakes his head, "Please tell me you have something for me."

"What I recommend," Noah hesitates, "is for you talk to your doctor."

He huffs, "So, you can't help me."

"Let me finish." Noah pauses, "Omega threes are supposed to be good for the brain. Maybe take some of that and rest, until you and your doctor can figure this out."

Ben sighs, "Okay. I'll try it."

Noah nods, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Uh, yes," he remembers. "Do you have any new appetite suppressants?"

"The other ones didn't work?"

"Not really," he admits.

"Were you still getting cravings?" Ben nods, and he questions, "Was it for sugar, because we have a spray now that can supplement that taste?"

"I mean," Ben hesitates, "it is sort of sweet, I suppose, but… it's more like meat, actually. Is sweet meat a thing?"

Noah thinks, "Do you eat a lot of meat?"

Ben shifts in his stance, "Well, it's not like I'm a vegetarian or anything."

"How much fat are you getting?"

He lifts a shoulder, "I mean, I eat meat. So, enough?" Noah nods, and he asks, "Why?"

"If the appetite suppressants haven't been working for you," he informs, "then we could try something else."

"Like what?" he cautions.

"Have you heard of the keto diet?"

Ben lifts his shoulder again, "I've heard of it."

"Basically," Noah explains, "when someone goes on the diet they are taking in less carbs and more fats. It's a really good one for a carnivore."

"I'm not a carnivore," Ben immediately defends.

Noah lets out a breath, "Sorry. I just meant that someone who already eats a lot of meat would have an easier time adjusting to the diet than a vegetarian." Ben doesn't speak, so he continues, "You would be replacing carbs with more fats. Coconut oil is always an easy, healthy fat to add to foods and drinks."

Ben takes a breath, "My family doesn't just eat meat. They eat pasta too, and I don't really have a choice in any of it."

"Well, you're pretty thin the way it is," Noah notices. "If weight loss isn't your goal, then you could still see if adding more fat would help."

Ben looks off, "I already tried adding more fat. If eating more bacon didn't help, why would taking coconut oil help?"

"It's a healthy fat," he informs. "Your body might be able to use it better." He hears the rumble, as the king places a hand to his stomach. "Ben?"

"Sorry." He shakes his head, "I have to go." before he hurries out of the store.

"Wait," Noah calls after him. "Don't you still want the omegas?" Ben disappears, and Noah turns to see her holding a box, staring across the store. "Nadia?" She fails to answer, and he steps in front of her, "Nadia. Is something wrong?" Her eyes move to him, and his mouth gapes at the horror in her expression. "Nadia?"

"I can't see," she whispers.

"What do you mean?" he worries.

"Everything's blurry," she shakes her head. "Something's wrong."

"Maybe, um," Noah thinks, "you should take the rest of the day off, go see someone."

"My mother." Nadia meets his eyes, "I need to see my mother."

"Okay. I'll—" Noah pauses, "I'll take you to her."

She breathes in relief, "Thank you. So much, Noah."

He reaches out to her, and she takes his hand. "Let's go."


	5. The Enchanted Forest

**The Enchanted Forest**

"Here," she says, and when Noah stops the car, she turns to him. "We walk from here."

He gets out of the car, "Is it close?" before he meets her on the other side.

"Only a mile or so."

He hesitates, "Can't we just take the car?"

"If you want your car to live," Nadia warns, "it stays here."

"Yeah. Okay," he makes a face. "It stays here."

"Yes," she nearly smiles, before they turn and start down the path.

"So," Noah starts.

"Shh," Nadia hushes. "You will wake the sprites."

"Sprites?" he whispers.

"Tiny people who fly in hoards," Nadia explains. "They will eat you alive."

Noah uneasily laughs, "You're joking, right?"

She swiftly turns to him, "You think I joke about this?" His expression falls as he silences, and when she hears the wings, she places a finger to her mouth.

He watches Nadia find a plant, pluck the pink, spotted flowers from it, and bring it towards him. He pulls back, "That looks poisonous." before he gags at the smell and covers his mouth. "What is that?"

Nadia rubs them over his arms and face, "This will keep you safe."

She continues to walk, and he questions, "What about you?"

Noah watches her look over her shoulder, as she bites into one of the petals, "They will not eat me." His mouth gapes, and she furrows her eyebrows, "You are coming?"

"Yes," he answers, before he meets up with her and they move forward.

* * *

"We are here," Nadia informs, and he leans on his knees, catching his breath.

"Good." He pants, "That— That's good."

Her eyes widen, "Do not sit there."

"What?" He looks from the boulder to her in confusion, "It's a rock."

"It is not a rock," she disbelieves. "It is an egg."

"An egg?" he repeats, as he looks over the brown stone again.

"She will be born soon," Nadia explains. "Break the shell and she will grow weak."

"She?" he questions.

Her head leans forward, "My sister." before she starts to cough again.

"Nadia?" Noah concerns. He steps towards her, and when the coughing finally subsides, he sees the red splatters on her blue sleeve. "Is that blood?"

She sadly smiles at him, "Noah. It is nothing to worry."

Something deep and unsettling sits within him. She must be scared, but it's the same sort of expression and voice she had used when she'd found that he'd told someone about her identity. He watches her walk over to a tall tree. He steps towards her, "Nadia?"

She touches the tree's light brown bark, "Noah. This is my mother."

He takes a moment, "The tree is your mother?"

Tears fill Nadia's eyes, "I cannot hear her. Her voice is faint." and she folds her arms. "She is sick."

Noah looks over her, before he sees the can on the ground and moves to pick it up. "Nadia." He stands back up, and she gasps at the sight of the weed killer.

"How could you do this to us?" a voice shouts from behind them, and Noah notices a girl with vibrant green, straight hair.

"Lori," she breathes.

The girl's crystal blue eyes pierce at her, "You have killed us all."

"She didn't do anything," Noah defends.

"Then what is this?" she snatches the can from his hand.

"He didn't do this," Nadia insists.

The girl turns back to Nadia and stares her down. Noah eyes between them, before he hesitates, "Let's just talk—"

Lori darts her eyes to him, "You stay out of this." before she stares at Nadia again.

After another minute, the green haired girl moves away, and Noah watches as she walks back towards the cottage. "Who was that?"

"Lori." Nadia takes a moment, "She has always thought I am… idealistic."

"She's your sister?" he turns to her, and Nadia nods. "Why does she think you're going to die?" She doesn't speak. "I mean, you didn't even do anything."

"I brought a human here," Nadia sternly eyes him. "It does not matter you have not done this. Someone has."

Noah frowns deeper, "Are you sick, because your mother is sick?" as dread fills him.

"We are one ecosystem," she confirms.

He shakes his head, "We have to do something."

"The Enchanted Forest is protected land," Nadia informs. "If we call, they have to do something about this."

"I thought you didn't trust the authorities."

She glances down, "I don't." before she meets his brown eyes. "But what choice do we have?" He fails to respond, and she takes a paper from her pocket, "This is the number."

Noah takes it, "I'll call them." and when he takes his phone out, Nadia faces her mother again. She places a hand on the bark, but there is still no sound.

"Yes," Noah answers. "It's the Enchanted Forest. Someone poisoned the plants, and—" He falters, "No. This isn't a joke." Nadia turns to him, and he half laughs, "It's still protected land. You have to do something." His eyebrows furrow, "Hello?"

He lowers the phone, and Nadia asks, "What's wrong?"

Noah takes a minute, "Apparently, no one is stupid enough to come here, and the plants would have killed them before they could have done anything to hurt them— the plants." He sees her frown, "I'll try again." before he taps the number in again and brings the phone to his ear. "Yes. I—"

Nadia watches him lower the phone and frown at her, "They do not believe you." and he shakes his head. "Then, it is useless."

"No," he asserts, before he recalls, "Ben. I can call King Ben." Nadia watches him bring the phone back up. "Hey. You know that health store you come to all the time. Well, uh, I'm that guy, and we could really use your help. My… Someone told me the Enchanted Forest is in danger, but no one believes us. Please. Whatever you could do—"

Nadia watches him lower the phone, "Did he not believe you too?"

Noah tries to smile, "Voicemail. I suck at getting to the point." and when Nadia nods he walks over to place his hands on her shoulder. "Hey. It's going to be okay. He knows where to find me, and I know he will know this is important."

"How?" She meets his eyes, "How could he know this is important?"

"His girlfriend is a fairy or dragon or something like that," he makes a face. "Anyway, he will care about what's going on here." Nadia looks away. "Hey. It's going to be okay."

She strains a smile, "Yes. It will be."

He nods back, "Should we go, or do you want to stay with your sister?"

"No. We can go." Nadia faces him, "But I would like to show you somewhere first."

"Just show me where," he tries to smile.

* * *

"We are here." Nadia pulls back a branch, and Noah follows her into the plain. She leads him to the stream, and they sit in the grass. "This is my favorite place to rest."

"It is?"

She laughs at him, "You seem surprised."

"Well," he nervously responds. "I mean…"

"This is why," Nadia lays a hand on his shoulder and points to the sky. "The star passes over us during midday, and when it does, it buries the entire valley in sun." She smiles, "It washes you, makes you new again." He faces her, and she frowns, "Noah." She places a hand to his chest, "If our mother dies, will you make sure my sisters are too taken care of?"

"What do you mean?"

She takes a moment, "I want them to make new lives." before she meets his eyes again. "You will help them, won't you?"

He observes her expression, "Of course, I will."

She wraps her arms around him, "Noah. I knew you would."

He hugs her back, "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

Nadia lets go of him, "Right. The king will do something?"

"He will," Noah confirms, and she smiles at him.


	6. Bury Me in Sun

**Bury Me in Sun**

"Are you sure you're good getting home?" Noah asks, as the day nears the end.

Nadia smiles, "Yes, and I will see you tomorrow." and she starts to cough.

He places a hand on her back, "Are you okay?"

She clears her throat, "Yes." before she smiles at him. "I am fine."

"You really should take tomorrow off."

Nadia frowns, "It's just the pesticide, Noah. I will be fine."

"I'm guessing you're the one that made the call?"

Noah turns to the entrance, "Princess Audrey."

"Did you call King Ben earlier?" she asks again.

"About the Enchanted Forest," he recalls. "Yeah. I did."

"Goodie," she walks towards him. "Ben's busy, so I get to help you."

"Okay," he frowns.

"I'm going to need you to come to the station with me." She notices the brown-haired girl and points, "Is she your source?"

"She can't come," Noah stresses. "She's sick."

She holds onto his arm, "But Noah. I am fine."

Noah takes her hand and gestures to the red on her sleeve, "You're coughing blood."

"That? It is nothing," she insists before taking her hand from his.

"Wait?" Audrey holds up a hand, "She's coughing blood?"

"I am a dryad," Nadia discloses, "from the Enchanted Forest."

"Someone found out and poisoned her home," he explains. "If it's who I think it is, that makes it a hate crime."

"It would help to have someone from there." Audrey looks at her, "You should come with us."

"Yes," Nadia eagerly accepts.

"No," Noah dismisses, before he faces the princess. "She's undocumented. It's not safe for her to come with."

Audrey eyes between them, "Alright." and she pauses. "Then you can stay or go home, whichever," she tells Nadia before facing Noah. "But you need to come with me."

"Okay," he agrees, and then they leave.

* * *

When they make it to the forest, Audrey tries to open the door; however, she's forgotten it isn't designed to. She watches the police open their doors, "Hey. Can you get my door?"

"Sorry, Princess," the muscular man answers, "but you're staying here."

"What?" Audrey disbelieves.

"It's for your own good, Princess," the other officer calmly comments.

The doors shut, and she shouts, "You will never survive without me." She watches one of them wave a hand, and her mouth gapes. "How unbelievable." She mutters, "Poor, little Princess Audrey could never survive in the woods." as she takes off her diamond bracelet. "No. It's fine. We'll just keep her locked in the back of a police car so that we can be killed and not ever release her." She circles the cross over the window. "Idiots." The window shavings fall as she presses the diamond against it, and after a few minutes she hears the screams. "Lord." She grunts, "Help me." as she hits the glass. On the third try, the glass circle breaks off, and Audrey reaches her arm through to get to the door handle. Her fingers slip, and she seethes as she pushes her arm further, pushes the latch up, and opens the door.

After she sees the officers, Audrey reaches for her purse and takes out the perfume. She sprays it, the sprites scatter, and the officers face her. She widens her eyes at the patches of eaten skin and sternly asks, "Are you ready to listen to me now?"

They stare at her in awe, before the first says, "Yes, Princess Audrey." and the second bows his head.

"Okay, then."

She walks ahead of them, and the bald one questions, "How did you get rid of those things? We couldn't even run away from them. They were everywhere."

Audrey twirls back to them, "You forget, my mother grew up here."

"Forgive us, Princess."

She eyes between them, "FYI, if you see a huge bed of moss, don't just step on it. Make sure you feed the tree first."

"Feed the tree?" one asks in confusion.

She shakes her head, "Just follow my lead."

* * *

When they reach a section of chopped trees, Audrey frowns, and then the police yell, "Set the axe down and raise your arms." Audrey turns and sees the black-haired guy narrowing his blue eyes at them. "Put down the axe," the officer repeats.

"They can't hide here forever," he shouts. "These monsters will face the light."

She frowns, as she eyes over him. He can't be past his twenties. "Final warning," the officer creeps forward. He could have easily been someone she knew. "Put down the axe."

"They're going to kill us all!"

Audrey intrudes, "How could they kill you when they're all the way out here?"

"You don't know what they're capable of," he shouts. "All of these things, they're dangerous. More dangerous than you can imagine."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she sternly remarks.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" he accuses.

"Princess Audrey," the officer whispers. "Directive."

"What are you?" he yells.

She stares, "Taze him." and after he's shocked, he falls to the ground and Audrey walks towards him. "No one plays God."

The officers handcuff him, "Let's get him back to the station."

Audrey notices the tree chopped around its center and steps towards it. The other officer asks, "Princess. Are you alright?"

She touches the tree, "It's just sad."

"It's still standing," he informs. "It will survive."

She turns to him, "No. When a circle of bark is taken from a tree, it dies." before she looks back at it. "It's not going to last long."

The officer takes a moment, "Princess Audrey. The suspect."

Audrey faces him and eyes down at the fearful criminal, "You're going to pay for this."

* * *

When Audrey enters the store, Noah frowns, "Did you find him?"

She nods, "He's probably going to get five years for disrupting a preserved site." before she glances down. "I know it's not a lot." She meets his brown eyes, "That guy did a lot more damage than that. There's no way to know just how much."

"At least he can't hurt anyone anymore," Noah tries to smile, before he turns to the girl. "Right, Nadia?" He notices her hunched over, leaning on the top-stock cart, "Nadia?"

She slowly turns, staring forward, as she whispers, "I'm dead."

"What?" Noah asks, before she collapses to the floor and he rushes to her. "Nadia!"

He moves her brown, frizzy hair from her face, and she reaches for his cheek, "Bury me in sun."

Her arm falls, her forefinger slipping down the side of his chin, and he whispers, "Nadia?" He lowers his head and cries, "Nadia. No."

Audrey watches him hold her in his arms, and after a minute she questions, "What did she mean?"

"What?" he gulps back his tears.

"She said something." Audrey thinks, "Bury me…"

"Bury me in sun," Noah remembers, before he sniffles. "What time is it?"

Audrey checks her phone, "Twelve thirty. Why?"

He picks her up in his arms and turns around, "We don't have a lot of time." and Audrey eyes over them. "We need to take her home."


	7. When Hope Dies

**When Hope Dies**

"Wait." Audrey notices, "I thought you said we had to take her to the clearing."

"Nadia told me to take care of her sisters," he informs. "They need to be in the sun too."

"And what makes you think they're going to be dead?" she questions, and when he gives her a look, she uneasily smiles, "No offense."

Noah faces forward and repeats, "They're part of the same ecosystem." before he stops in front of the cottage. "They should be here." He notices her stunned expression, "Princess Audrey. Is something wrong?"

"No," she shakes herself free. "Just… familiar, I guess."

"Can you help me look for them?" he asks, as he gets out of the car.

"Yeah," her eyebrows furrow. Audrey halts in front of the creek, and after Noah walks over the old bridge he turns back to her.

"Don't worry. It's safe." Audrey takes a deep breath and nods, before she crosses the water and steps onto the path of stones. The cottage is built into the side of a towering tree, and the roof is still lain with hay. It's just like the pictures, but it couldn't be. It's been over a hundred years since her mother's lived here. There's no way the house would have survived all this time. The door creeks open, and they step into the living room. "Maybe they already went to the clearing."

"I smell dinner," Audrey notices, before she steps through the living room and into the kitchen nook. "God," she covers her mouth.

"What is it?" Noah steps over to her, before he sees the green haired girl stabbed in the gut lying next to a smaller girl with a gash on her forehead. Audrey kneels next to her, removing the curly brown hair from the child's face and shutting her dead brown eyes. "She looks like you."

Audrey hisses at him, "What are you saying?"

He hesitates, "Just that… she looks like you."

She shakes her head, "Don't be insane." before she places a hand on the girl's head. "My mother was raised here. She didn't actually live here."

Noah hears her sniffle, as she reaches for the golden chain, "Isn't that, you know, your family's crest?"

"So, my mother left some stuff here," Audrey excuses, before she stands and sees the large book opened on the counter. She walks over and sadly laughs, "Like this." as she flips through the pages. "These are my mother's recipes." She snatches it from the counter and turns back to him, "It's mine. I'm taking it."

Noah looks down at the girls, "We need to get them in the sun, before it's too late."

"Right," Audrey deeply breathes, before she leans over the little girl again and takes her in her arms.

Noah notices the tears in her eyes, "Are you okay?"

"I'm not the one that's dead," she spats. "That guy should've got way more than five years." She shakes her head, "I don't understand. Why would he do this?"

"Because she wasn't human," Noah softly answers, and Audrey watches as he struggles to pick up the taller girl. "Come on. We need to go."

* * *

When the car stops in the clearing, Audrey comments, "I'm surprised the vines didn't eat it, yet."

He takes a moment, "They must know what we're doing." before a shadow is cast over and they look up at the clouds.

Audrey's eyes widen, "What does that mean? Is that bad?"

"We need to get them out," he hurries, and Audrey helps him place the three girls side-by-side in the plain.

"So." Audrey pauses, "What's supposed to happen here again?"

Noah shakes his head, "She just said… I don't know."

The clouds move, and when the sun lights the clearing, the girls' skin glows, "Uh." She points, "That's something."

He looks back at them, watching as the glowing dissipates into tiny lights, "Wow." He smiles in awe. It's just as Nadia had said, her and her sisters now have new life. He looks over at Audrey, just as she slaps the firefly that had landed on her arm. She faces him, her mouth gaped, realizing what she had just done.

* * *

\- For those who are unsure of what just happened, Nadia's family just turned into fireflies. I hope you all enjoyed the story. It was based on a dream I had, and I personally like the additions and adjustments I made to it. I originally planned for Nadia to have green blood, but then I remembered the whole vampire landlord thing and thought that maybe purple would be closer to the properties of red blood. I don't know what the theoretical science would be. I know a lot of shows have characters with black blood, but I don't know where that would come from. If any of you know what the blood would realistically appear as for a humanoid plant, then it would be amazing if you could share your ideas. Even though I didn't use different colored blood in this story, because it didn't seem like Audrey was hiding anything like that, I might like to use it if/when I translate this into a novel series. So, any help would be appreciated. Thank you for reading!


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